Ogden Half

It's amazing how four years can seem like no time at all when you finally get back together with good friends from college.
Melissa and Diana were two of my teammates at BYU-Hawaii.
Which, to me, means something pretty significant. Much different than teammates at BYU (though I loved it there, BYU Track and Cross Country can't be compared to BYU-Hawaii XC).
I cannot begin to explain what an amazing experience it was to go to that University in Laie on Oahu and be one of Coach Kaluhiokalani's runners. It was such a singular time in my life - like an extended vacation to a different planet while the rest of the world stood still and I just existed on my tiny blissful island. So veryvery few people can even begin to relate to this unique adventure...thus I don't get to talk about it much. I actually even avoid mentioning it casually to acquaintances or new friends, simply because of how foreign it would seem. Like if I was meeting someone and they mentioned they had spent 3 years living among the wolves in the Himalayas. Way over my head. Can't relate.











But Melissa and Diana can! They know me from a part of my life that almost feels like a dream - like it was so sweet it couldn't have really happened. I get SO jazzed when I get to talk to my fellow Seasiders. Kinda like how it is when you're in a different country and you run into another LDS member - you're instantly like family. That's how I think of it anyway. Hope that makes sense.
So when we found out that we were all living in Utah, we knew we definitely had to hang out... and while we were catching up on the last 4 years, why not run 13.1 miles?
And if we're going to run 13.1 miles, why not do it with 2,000 other people at 6 am down the gorgeous Ogden Canyon?!
But, gosh dang it.... they only let people wearing these silly white and orange paper numbers get in on this group run.

So got resourceful, grabbed markers, scissors, tape, and got to work making ourselves some cool-looking bibs to match everyone else's. We didn't wanna look out of place, ya know [winkwink]

Those race directors were smart - they told us the buses left at 5am. So we set our alarms for the ridiculous inhumane time of 4:27 (giving ourselves exactly 4 hours and 27 minutes of sleep) and RUSHED out the door, frantic... then got to the buses and waited. Rode the buses and waited. Got off the buses and waited. Stood by the firepits and waited. It's a good thing I really like these girls and I really like running, or I would've have been so happy to spend my Saturday morning this way. 

Fueled up by Melissa's fabulous home cooked dinner from the night before, we set out on a good conversational pace and the miles flew by. I'm not being flippant or facetious - it felt like a fun jog together  (until we tried to sit down after the race - ugh. Felt like an old lady).  We enjoyed the after-party - live band, snacks, the expo booths, etc.   We didn't totally sell our souls for free registration - we didn't take the tshirts or medals.  So I really don't feel bad about forging our bibs. In fact, I feel innovative.  And by discovering this devious nature of myself and my friends, you either think less of me or more of me! 

Melissa and her cool BFF Sam were nice enough to hang out with me at the park until my ride came and picked me up. It was from a Vernalite doing the full marathon. I didn't even really know her - it was a small step up from hitchhiking. But that's another story.